Foil dispenser

ABSTRACT

A dispenser-holder of simple construction for foils which come packaged in a box of substantially square cross-section is provided which is adapted to receive and hold the box, the holder having a rigid ledge with a cutting edge so that the foil may be unrolled from the box and cut to the desired size with one hand and so that, after cutting, a protruding edge of the foil remaining on the roll extends over the rigid ledge so that the next sheet is readily obtained therefrom.

United States Patent [191 Polk [ Mar. 11, 1975 FOIL DISPENSER [75] Inventor: Isaac H. Polk, Santa Clara, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Harold C. Kuhn, San Francisco,

Calif. a part interest [22] Filed: Mar. 18, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 451,856

[52] US. Cl 225/42, 225/46, 225/80,

248/311, 242/552 [51] Int. Cl B26f 3/02 [58] Field of Search 225/39, 42, 46, 48, 77,

225/80; 242/552, 55.3, 55.53; 248/311, 361 R, 361 B, DIG. 5; 312/37, 39, 41

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,258,238 6/1966 Grafton 248/31! FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 229,613 3/l959 Australia 225/77 Prinuiry Examiner-J. M. Meister Assistant ExaminerFred A. Silverberg Attorney, Agent, or FirmGreene & Durr [57] ABSTRACT A dispenser-holder of simple construction for foils which come packaged in a box of substantially square cross-section is provided which is adapted to receive and hold the box, the holder having a rigid ledge with a cutting edge so that the foil may be unrolled from the box and cut to the desired size with one hand and so that, after cutting, a protruding edge of the foil re mainingon the roll extends over the rigid ledge so that the next sheet is readily obtained therefrom.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures FOIL DISPENSER BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention relates to a dispenser for foils of the type that are sold in the form of non-perforated rolls of a continuous strip of foil and which are packaged in elongated boxes of square cross-sectional shape.

The packages of such rolls are ordinarily provided with an opening along one longitudinal edge and a cutter is provided along one side of the opening so that the foil can be pulled out of the box through the opening and then torn by pulling against the cutting edge of the opening. One disadvantage of such a tearing device is that it is often difficult to get hold of the free end of the roll which is within the container after a sheet has been torn off. Other disadvantages are that two hands are required to separate a sheet of foil and it is usually necessary to support the cutting edge (which is a flimsy strip of metal) with the fingers, when tearing a sheet from the roll. There is only one way to hold such a package in order to tear the sheet therefrom. Furthermore, since the cutting strip on such package is thin and flexible, the torn sheets do not have a straight edge.

Holders for rolls of foil which provide a more secure cutting edge have also been devised. Such holders require that the roll of foil be removed from its original package before inserting therein and they are usually quite complex devices with round or partially rounded cross-sectional shapes. Such devices are shown in the following patents. Casterline U.S. Pat. No. 1,676,854; Jarvis U.S. Pat. No. 1,953,349; Galante U.S. Pat. No. 2,003,044. The Jarvis patent, in addition, provides a cutting edge which projects beyond the body of the holder so that a readily grasped protruding portion of the remaining foil on the roll is provided after each sheet is town therefrom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Among the objects of this invention is to provide a simple holder for packaged foils, so constructed that the package, as a whole, may be inserted and held therein, which holder is provided with a rigid cutting edge so constructed that after a sheet is torn along the cutting edge, a protruding portion of the remaining uncut roll remains outside of the package.

The objects of the invention are attained by providing a rectilinear holder of larger cross-sectional shapes than the largest foil package, for which the holder is to be used, the rectilinear holder being at least partially open at one of its sides and being provided with at least two pivotally mounted holding means adapted to extend most of the way across the open side; extending away from one end of the open side, a ledge having a cutting edge is provided. Means for mounting the device to a wall are provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Additional objects and advantages of the device will be apparent when the following detailed description thereof is read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a prospective view of one form of the device showing a packaged foil held therein.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3-5 are partial end views showing various modifications of the ledge portion of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the device of FIG. 6 but showing a modified form of cutting edge.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The devices of FIGS. 1-5 are in the form of an elongated rectilinear trough, having a back side 10, a bottom 11, a front side 12 and a ledge 13 having a sharp upper edge 14. The pocket or trough formed by sides 10, I1 and 12 is of a certain minimum size to provide a stable holder. The ledge 13 and a portion of the 12' may project beyond the limits of sides 10, 11 and 12 so that the holder can actually be employed with packages longer than the length of sides 10, l l and 12. The package 20 does not have to fit snugly into the trough or pocket, a relatively loose fit being permissible. The package 20 can be a package of any type of foil material which is retained on a roll within the package. Thus, the foil can be of aluminum, plastic material, pa-

per, or wax paper.

The back 10 of the holder contains a pair of heyhole shaped slots 14 and 15, which permit the holder to be releasably attached to a pair of headed screws, bolts, nails, etc., in a wall or panel in a kitchen, for example. An additional keyhole slot may be provided below the level of slots 14 and 15 so as to obtain a more stable mounting.

Back 10 is also provided with a pair of crossbars such as angle pieces 30 and 31 pivotally mounted thereon through slots 32 and an adjustable retaining means such as winged nut 33, each having a cross-piece 34, and 35, respectively, adapted to extend across the top of the trough, i.e., the fourth side of the rectilinear housing comprising the bottom 11, front piece 12 and the lower portion of back 10.

In operation, the angle pieces 30 and 31 are swung outwardly, a package 20 with the end of the foil 21 extending out of the slot of the box is inserted in the trough so that the slot in thepackage is adjacent the ledge 13, and angle pieces are pivoted back and ad justed, if necessary, to extend over the top of the package 20. It has been found that the edge 14 of the ledge does not need to be serrated especially when the holder is made of metal, neither does it have to be sharpened like a blade, a sharp, i.e., non-rounded corner, is sufficient to produce the cut desired when the foil is pulled downwardly against the edge'14 of the ledge 13. After a sheet is cut or torn on edge'l4, the ledge 13 provides a leading edge of foil 21 which can be readily grasped to pull out the next length of foil desired.

The ledge 13 may take many forms, as illustrated by the modifications 13-1, 13-2, 13-3, in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, respectively.

In the modified form of the device shown in FIG. 6, the holder comprises a back 10, a bottom 11, having a projecting ledge 13 and a cover plate 16 having one side secured to an intermediate portion of back plate 10 and having a downwardly extending flange 17 along the other or front side thereof. Like numerals are used to refer to like parts, throughout the specification. Two pivotally mounted front clamps 30 and 31 are provided on the front flange 17 to extend across the open side of rectilinear pocket for the foil package. The pivoted claims 30' and 31 have smoothly rounded ends 38 and 39 and are of such a size that the said ends at least touch the foil 21 to prevent the foil from unrolling rather than tearing when pulled against the edge of 13'.

As shown in FIG. 7, the ledge 13' may be provided with a vertical position 18 ending in a cutting edge 19 and the cutting edge 19 is preferably serrated so as to provide greater friction between the foil and the cutting edge, especially with respect to the last few turns of the roll.

A special advantage of the devices of the invention is the simplicity thereof. Thus, the devices may be made of metal or relatively hard plastic such as polyamide, polycarbonates, polystyrene, etc. The main body of the devices of FIG. 1-5 can be made from a flat sheet of metal, for example, and then only require that the slots 14 and 15 be cut therein and the angle or crosspieces be attached. The body of the device of FIGS. 6 and 7 can be made by metal or plastic extrusion, as can the bodies of devices of FIGS. l-S.

l claim:

1. A dispensing holder for foil packaged on a roll within a box of square cross-sectional shape, comprising an elongated structure of substantially uniform cross-sectional shape throughout its length having a rectilinear pocket adapted to receive the foil package, said pocket being formed by a back side, bottom side, a third side and at least a pair of cross-bar means each pivotally mounted on one of said sides so as to, in its normal position, extend across the fourth side of the v rectilinear pocket, a ledge extending horizontally beyond the area of the pocket on the side adjacent the free end of the pivotal means, said ledge having a cutting edge at the free end thereof.

2. The holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein said third side is a front side and contains the horizontal ledge, said back side extending above the area of the pocket, and said pivotally mounted cross-bar means comprising angle pieces with one arm thereof attached to the upper portion of the back side.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said third side is a top side connected to the back side, and having a front flange, said pivotally mounted cross-bar pieces being connected to the front flange of said third side.

4. The device as claimed in claim 2, said horizontal ledge extending laterally beyond both ends of the first side to which it is connected.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pivotally mounted cross-bar means comprises a smoothsurfaced end portion which contacts the foil held on said ledge.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sides are so constructed and arranged to receive and hold in dispensing position, an original package of foil without alteration of said package.

UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,870,212 Dated March 13.. 1975 Inventor(s) Isaac 901k It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Change the name 0 the assignee part interest Signed and Scaled this ninetee h D 3) Of A ugust 1 9 75 [SEAL] AIICSI.

RUTH C. MASON ('ummissimu'r uj'lau'nls and Trademarks FORM PC4050 ($69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 u.s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 930 

1. A dispensing holder for foil packaged on a roll within a box of square cross-sectional shape, comprising an elongated structure of substantially uniform cross-sectional shape throughout its length having a rectilinear pocket adapted to receive the foil package, said pocket being formed by a back side, bottom side, a third side and at least a pair of cross-bar means each pivotally mounted on one of said sides so as to, in its normal position, extend across the fourth side of the rectilinear pocket, a ledge extending horizontally beyond the area of the pocket on the side adjacent the free end of the pivotal means, said ledge having a cutting edge at the free end thereof.
 1. A dispensing holder for foil packaged on a roll within a box of square cross-sectional shape, comprising an elongated structure of substantially uniform cross-sectional shape throughout its length having a rectilinear pocket adapted to receive the foil package, said pocket being formed by a back side, bottom side, a third side and at least a pair of cross-bar means each pivotally mounted on one of said sides so as to, in its normal position, extend across the fourth side of the rectilinear pocket, a ledge extending horizontally beyond the area of the pocket on the side adjacent the free end of the pivotal means, said ledge having a cutting edge at the free end thereof.
 2. The holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein said third side is a front side and contains the horizontal ledge, said back side extending above the area of the pocket, and said pivotally mounted cross-bar means comprising angle pieces with one arm thereof attached to the upper portion of the back side.
 3. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said third side is a top side connected to the back side, and having a front flange, said pivotally mounted cross-bar pieces being connected to the front flange of said third side.
 4. The device as claimed in claim 2, said horizontal ledge extending laterally beyond both ends of the first side to which it is connected.
 5. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pivotally mounted cross-bar means comprises a smooth-surfaced end portion which contacts the foil held on said ledge. 